Government's solution to NHS dentistry crisis: a plaque!

Government's solution to NHS dentistry crisis: more plaque - Guardian

1st Extract:

"Ministers are preparing to unveil a secret weapon in their campaign to woo dentists back to work for the NHS in England. Every practice that is able to provide a quality service and show commitment to the NHS is to be given something money cannot buy. A new kind of plaque.

Department of Health officials are convinced that dentists would treasure the opportunity to brand their premises with the NHS logo - one of the most recognised symbols in the land.

Those treating a high proportion of NHS patients will be allowed to screw the NHS plaque to the front door of their surgeries and use the brand to add extra professional kudos to their letterheads. As a badge of quality, the logo may also serve as an advertisement to private patients, who pay higher fees for fillings and extractions.

Dentists, who spend their lives in a constant struggle against another sort of plaque, have spent the week berating the government for the failure of a policy that was meant to provide a better service to more patients.

2nd Extract:

"A spokeswoman denied yesterday that the new dental contract was in any way to blame for the shortage of dentists. "The NHS is continuing to expand dental services. Over the next few months, the new services due to open around the country should deliver access for a further 500,000 patients," she said."

Yeah, right! - Watch out for pigs flying past!